Cigar-vending machine.



L. A. VANDIVER.

CIGAR VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1B, 1909.

Patented Dec. '7; 1909.

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GIGAR VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FIL ED MAR. 18, 1909. 942,527e y Patented Deo. '7, 1909.

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- To all whom 'it may concern:

miran sfrxrns Arana orar LESLIE'A. VANDIVER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO STAR NOVELTY MFG. CO.,

I INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CIGAR-VENDING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

Be it known that I, LESLIE A. VANDIVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Cigar-Vending Machine, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in vending machinesdesigned more particularly for the vending of cigars through theintermediary of mechanism normally locked against operation, butunlocked by a suitable coin or token.

In accordance with the present invention a customer is enabled to viewcigars exposed in their boxes and not only choose the brand desired butalso'any particular cigar of a brand.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a slidecapable of moving over one, two or moreboxes of. cigars inclosed in aeasing so as to be visible but not accessible to the customer except byway of the coin controlled mechanism. On the slide and capable of beingmovedto and from the cigars is a stabbing or cigar engaging mechanismprovided with a fine sharp needle extension capable of being pushed intoa cigar so that when the stabbing mechanism is raised the cigar willfollow and when the slide is returned to its initial position thecigarwill be carried into coincidence Vwith a discharge chute. Themechanism is such that when the last point is reached the cigarisautomatically stripped from the carrying needle and gravltates into aposition within reach of the customer. In this position the slide islocked against movement except when relieved by the insertion of aproper coin.

The invention will best be understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification in which drawings,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the working part of a vending machinewith the casing shown in section and one end of the machine broken awayor removed, and also'showing in dotted lines operative positions ofparts. Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but observed from theloppositesideA and with the parts in the normal or locked position and alsoshowing some of the operative parts in section, and others in dottedlines 1n operative positions. Fig. 3 isa plan View of the structureshown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sec-y 'detail plan of av portion of thecoin-controlled mechanism.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a casing 1 which may be madeenerally of .metal with a suitable number o glass panels 2v on top andalso if desired on the sides so that the interior of casing is welllighted up and readily. visible to a customer and within the casing maybe lodged cigar-boxes 3 containing cigars 4. The cigar-boxes, and cigarsare only illustratively shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and it will beunderstood that the casing 1 is of suliicient length to contain anydesired number of cigar-boxes, the showings of the drawing being onlysufficient to give a clear understanding of the operation of theinvention. v

The top panels 2.of glass aresu/pported. at their adjacent edges in twospaced strips 5 extending longitudinally of the casing and spaced apartto form a narrow longitudinal slot through the top of the inclosure. lExtending from one end of the casing to the other below and to one sideof the strip 5 is a bar 6 preferably square and hollow, the latterprovision being for the purpose of lightness coupled with strength.

Mounted on the bar 6 so as to slide snugly but easily therealong is acarrier 7 from which rises a plate 8 extending through the slot betweenthe members y5 and above the same. The upper end of the plate 8y carriesa block 9 over-riding but not necessarily in contact with the upperedges of the strips .or members 5 and at one end the block. 9 is formedwith a push-piece 10 and at the other end with oppositely disposedhandlesl 11. The block 9 is slotted and traversed by the plate 8 andthis block is extended suliiciently toward the push-piece 10 to receivea vflat blade'- 12 adapted to slide through theblock in the manner andfor the purpose to be described. The upper end of the blade 12 1sprovided` with a button 13 of such-shape as readily to conform to thehand of the operator when itis desired to depress the blade 12 as willhereinafter appear.

Secured to and extending downward from the carrier 7 at one end thereofisa tubular member 14 havingonevside provided with a longitudinal slot15 ypermitting the blade 12 to travel along the tube 14 While partiallyhoused therein. The blade 12 is made fast to the upper end of a rod 16normally housed in the tube 14 but which may be projected from the lowerend of said tube by the manipulation of the blade 12 against the actionof a spring 17 surrounding the rod 16 within vthe tube 14. At the lowerend of the rod 16 tion to engage one edge of the slide 12 which4 latterat an appropriate point is provided with a notch 23 adapted to beentered by the pin 2.2, this notch being so located as to arrest theupward movement of the blade 12 under the action of the spring 17 at apoint where the needle 18 will still project a short distance beyond thelower end ofthe tube 14, this position being shown in F ig. 2.

Ignoring for the time the coincontrolled feature of the apparatus itwill be assumed that it is possible to slide the selecting and deliverymechanism along the length of the casing to an desired point thecustomer may wish. Normally the blade 12 is in the elevated position. Ifupon examination the customer may desire to choose a cigar from acertain one of the boxes of cigars and also decides upon a specificcigar in the chosen box, then the carriage 7 is moved to the desiredpoint by the customer actuating the block 9 either by the push-piece 10or by the handle l1. l`When the selecting mechanism has been locatedproperly then the customer forces the blade 12 downward by pushing uponthe button 13, the spring 17 yielding readily to a comparatively lightforce. The bar 16 is projected from the lower end ofthe tube 14 and theneedle 18 is ultimately brought into contact with the cigar and forcedthereinto. j

In practice, the frictional contact of the needle with the cigar issutlicient to lift the cigar and hold it on the needle when the blade 12is released and the spring 17 causes the rod 16 to again move into thetube 14.

' As the blade 12 is forced upward by the spring 17 the notch 23 isultimately brought into coincidence with the pin 22 and the re'- actionofthe spring 21 will then cause the in 22 to move into the notch andsoarrest rther upward movement of the blade 12. In this position of theparts the cigar is well above the upper edge of the cigar-box and thestructure may be 'moved toward the front of the casing carrying thecigar with "ment on the rod 6.

needle 18 fully into the tube 14. This action causes the stripping ofthe cigar from the needle and then the cigar is free to gravitate,being, in this position of the parts, immediately above a dischargechute 24 having a portion 25 exterior to the casing and within reach ofthe customer so that the discharged cigar is easily removed by thecustomer. When the vending mechanism is again moved toward the rear endof the casing to the desired point to select another cigar then theaction -of the (spring 21 is to force the bolt 20 outward which it doesas soon as the notch 23 and the pin 22 coincide in position. The pindoes not prevent in any manner thedownward movement of the blade 12 withthe rod 16 but only arrests the movement of the blade when the latterrises toward its vinitial position. The square guide rod 6 maintains thevending mechanism in the upright position and the carriage 7 is madelong enough to have an easy move- The lower end of the blade 12 may beprovided with a finger 26 acting as a stop for determining the extremeupper limit of movement of the blade 12 and therod 16 carried thereby,said finger engagingA under the tube or casing 19 in this position ofthe parts.

The coincontrolled mechanism is of known construction and thereforeneeds but brief description. t

The coinl chute is indicated at 27`Land is of the proper size to admitthe coin .j uch as is suitable for the operation of the machine. Thischute will of course admit smaller coins but provision ma be made forthe return of the smaller c0i` s to the customer without operating themachine. The return chute for such smaller coins is indicated at 28 andthis chute delivers into a holder 29 within reach of the customer.

Upon a bracket 30 there is mounted a coin-controlled lookin member 31consisting of a block in the ront face of which is a notch 32 adapted toengage a pin 33 on a lever 34 pivotally mounted on the carriage 7. Thislever 34 is constrained to its normal position by a spring 35 tending tohold it in such a position as to engage 1n the notch 32 and so lock thevending side of the machine against manipulation. The-bloclr 31 containsa receptacle for a coin of proper ,lines at 36 the coin will cover thenotch 32 so that the ,pin 33 on engaging the coin will be caused to rideup the rounded edge of the coin against the action ofthe spring 35 andso be thrown over the block 31 thus releasing the vending side of themachine to move toward the other end, of Ithe casing to the extentdesired by the operator. A vpin 37 traversing the block 31 serves toprevent the passage of the coin 36 through this block when the coin isof proper size. This pin 37 is under the control o f a spring 38 andalso carries at one end a laterally projecting pin 39 in the path of thepin 33. When the proper coin is in place and the pin 33 rides thereoverit ultimately comes in contact with the pin 39 and so turns the member37 against the action of the spring 28 in a direction to release thecoin 36 so that the latter then drops away from the block 31.

The reservoir or receptacle for coins is carried by the rod 14, asuitable bracket 40 being made fast to said rod and from this bracketthere projects a rod 41 threaded at the outer end to receive a thumb-nut42 or other fastening' means. Mounted on this rod is a cylindrical cup43 capable of turning about the rod as an axis. A short pin 44 projectsfroml the bracket-'40 parallel with the rod 41 and normally enters asuitable perforation in the cup 43 so that When the thumb-nut 42 isscrewed upon thel rod 41 to the extent sufficient to force the cup 43against the bracket 41, this cup is locked in position by the stud orpin 44. Fastened on one side of the cup is a bell 45 insuch position asto coact with blades 46 on the return chute 28 immediately below theblock 31 in such manner that when a coin of small size is introducedinto the coin-receiving chute 27 and falls into the block 31 it willstrike the bell 45 thus giving an alarm and be deflected thereby intothe returnV chute 28 and so find its way to the outside of the machineinto the receiver 29 Within reach of the customer. By' this means themachine will project coins which are not of the propersize to operatethe machine, larger coins being rejected by the respective size of theinlet leading to the chute 27. Since the vending side of the machinemust have been moved'a considerable distance before the rod 37 is turnedon its axle to release the coin, the latter will drop through the member46 and into t-he cup 43 Without engaging the bell.l

IVhen it is desired to remove accumulated coinsfrom the cup-receptacle43 the thumbnut 42 is loosened so that the. cup. may be movedlongitudinally of the rod 41 until free from the stud or pin 44 when inthe cup because of the over-balancing of the same by the bell 45 willreverse its position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and thecoins will gravitate therefrom. After the cup or reservoir has beenrelie'ved of the coins it-may be again returned to normal position andagain locked by the suitable manipulation of the thumb-nut 42.

What is claimed is l. In a vending machine, a carrier movable indifferent directions in the machine, a stabbing point on the carrier andmovable to and from the articles to be vended for engaging an'd liftingthe articles by piercing the same, a stripper for the stabbing pointmounted onand movable with the carrier, and means for rendering thestripper active at the discharge end of the machine.

2. In a vending machine, a carrier movable from point to point and intooperative relation with any one of a number of articles to be vended, arod mounted on the carrier and having at one end a stabbing point andmovable in a direction at right angles to the carrier to engage thechosen articles by piercing the same with the stabbing point and toraise the same to a position to be carried toward the discharge end ofthe machine, and astripper for the stabbing point mounted on thecarrier.

3. In a vending machine, a carrier, a support for the same along whichthe carrier may be moved from point to point in the machine, a tubularguide supported by the carrier, a member within reach of the customer, arod in the guide connected to and controlled by the member Within reachof the customer, a stabbing point on the end of the rod toward thearticles to be vended, the rod having a ran e of movement sufficient -tocarry the stabbing point into and out of the tubular guide, and a springtending to return the rod to initial position after havliong beenprojected from the tubular mem- 4. In a vending machine, means forengaging and .lifting the articles to be vended comprising a stabbingpoint, arod carrying said point and spring actuated in one direction, amember fastened to and actuating said rod and Within the reach of acustomer, and a locking means acting on the member Within reach of thecustomer for arresting the movement of said member before reaching theinitial position.

5. In a vending machine, a stabbing point, means within reach of acustomer lfor mov-V ing the point to 'and from the articles to bevended, a stripper into and out of which the stabbing point is movable,and means for arresting. the customer-actuated means at a predeterminedpoint ori the return to initial l position, and before the stripperbecomes active to the stabbing point.

n 6. In a vendingmachine, a vending mechanism movable by a customer froman initial position to any chosen position with relation to the articleto be vended, a stabbing point;

means for moving the stabbing point into engagement with an article tobe vended, said means being Within reach of a customer, and means forarresting the return of the means for operating the stabbing point priorto its return to initial position, said means being actuated to releasethe stabbing point actuating means on the return of the vendingmechanism to Ainitial position.

7. In a vending machine a sliding carrier controllable by the customerand movable into operative relation to any one of a number of articlesto be vended, a tubular guide extending therefrom, a spring controlledrod within the guide capable of moving beyond the same, a needle-pointon the rod at the end adjacent to the article to be vended, a

member accessible to the customer and fastened to said rod, said memberbeing Aprovided With a notch, and a spring actuated bolt having a pin inoperative relation to the notch andadapted to engage a fixed point onthe machine to move the pin` away l from the notch when the vendingmechanism has returned to normal position.

8. In a cigar vending machine, a carrier under the control of a customerand movable into operative relation to any chosen one of a number Aofcigars, and a stabbing means movable at rightangles to the movement ofthe carrier andl adapted to engage a chosen cigar by piercing the same,and a stripper in which the stabbing point is housed when in initialposition, said stripper being on and movable with the carrier.

my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses,

LESLIE A. VANDIVER. i

Witnesses S. IV. VANDIVER, W. G. TRAUTVETTER;

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as l.

